Snowboy
Don’t want to install Snowboy? Drop the file here.
The first 20 minutes of any recording are transcribed free: a recording up to 20 minutes transcribes in full, a longer one is previewed, and a pack from $6 (500 minutes) transcribes the rest and opens every export, and credits never expire.
Legacy customizable wake-word engine — community-maintained after KITT.AI shutdown.
Best for reference / legacy support — older Mycroft-class projects relied on Snowboy. Pricing: free.
What it is
Snowboy was the dominant wake-word engine in the 2016–2020 maker era. Now community-maintained only; new projects should pick openWakeWord (free) or Picovoice Porcupine (commercial-friendly).
Watch out for: KITT.AI shut down in 2020; official model-training service is gone; modern projects prefer openWakeWord or Porcupine.
Install / use
github.com/Kitt-AI/snowboy — community fork required for new builds
What people actually do with Snowboy-style transcription
The tool is the means. These are the jobs — each one priced at published rates, each one wired up on its own page.
Features
| Speaker diarization | No |
| Word-level timestamps | No |
| Streaming / real-time | Yes |
| Languages supported | 1 |
| HIPAA eligible | No |
Links
Snowboy vs Whipscribe
| Feature | Snowboy | Whipscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Open source | Transcription APIs |
| Pricing | free | $6–$24 one-time packs (credits never expire) · first 20 minutes free |
| Speaker identification | — | Named in the summary, key quotes and chapters |
| Word timestamps | — | Yes |
| Streaming | Yes | No |
| Languages | 1 | 99 |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Hardware | Web, API, MCP |
Alternatives to Snowboy
Frequently asked about Snowboy
Is Snowboy free?
Yes. Snowboy is free and open source.
Does Snowboy work on Mac, Windows and Linux?
Snowboy runs on Linux, macOS and Hardware.
How do I get started with Snowboy?
There is nothing to install — Snowboy is used in the browser. Create an account on the vendor's site and upload or connect your audio.
How many languages does Snowboy support?
Snowboy lists 1 languages.
Does Snowboy identify different speakers?
No. Snowboy does not label speakers; a conversation comes back as one continuous text. If you need speaker labels, that is a separate tool or a different service.
Does Snowboy give word-level timestamps?
No — Snowboy produces segment or sentence timing only, so subtitle cues can land mid-word.
Can Snowboy transcribe live audio?
Yes — Snowboy supports streaming / live input, not just finished files.
Is Snowboy HIPAA compliant?
Snowboy does not claim HIPAA compliance. For PHI, run it on infrastructure you control or choose a service that will sign a BAA.
What are the limitations of Snowboy?
KITT.AI shut down in 2020; official model-training service is gone; modern projects prefer openWakeWord or Porcupine.
Who is Snowboy best for?
Reference / legacy support — older Mycroft-class projects relied on Snowboy.
Does Snowboy run offline?
Snowboy runs on your own machine — it is open source, so nothing leaves the computer unless you configure it to.
Can I use Snowboy in the browser?
No — Snowboy is a Linux, macOS and Hardware application, not a web app. You install it rather than sign in to it.
Where is the Snowboy source code?
On GitHub at github.com/Kitt-AI/snowboy. It is maintained by KITT.AI (defunct) · community.
What kind of tool is Snowboy?
In this directory Snowboy is filed under wake word, edge, deprecated as a open-source tool.
What are the alternatives to Snowboy?
There is a side-by-side page at /tools/snowboy-alternatives comparing Snowboy with the closest tools in the same category on price, platform and features.
Whipscribe is a hosted transcription service. If you want transcripts without running infrastructure, paste a URL or drop a file in the form below — you'll have a transcript in seconds.
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